French company sued for selling to Israel

Family sues Exxelia Technologies for selling drone missile component to Israel. Plaintiffs say Israel killed three children with it in 2014.

Matt Wanderman, 01/07/16 14:52

Israeli drone

Flash 90

A Palestinian family is suing the French company Exxelia Technologies for selling weapons parts to Israel.

Ynet reports that the Shuheibar family from Gaza City filed the suit through the Ancile-avocats law firm and with help from the Christian organization ACAT. The lawyers claim that Exxelia is complicit in war crimes and manslaughter.

According to the suit, an Israeli missile hit the family home during 2014's Operation Protective Edge. Five children were on the roof at the time; three were killed and two others wounded. The family insists that there was no military target present and therefore striking the house constituted a violation of international law.

ACAT and Palestinian authorities investigated the incident and say that they found a component made by Exxelia, at the time called Eurofarad, in the debris.

Ingrid Metton, an attorney with Ancile-avocats, said: "The French arms industry can no longer escape its morale and legal responsibility. Selling materials that are used for war crimes must be severely punished."

Hélène Legeay, the head of ACAT's North African and Middle Eastern programs, added: "Beyond the Exxelia case, we call on France to show responsibility, (as it) played a key role in the development and adoption of the Arms Aid Treaty." The Arms Aid Treaty bans countries from selling weapons that could be used in war crimes.